J W Caceres Discovery Intermediate Academy

J W Caceres Discovery Intermediate Academy in Donna, TX, is a small elementary school serving 299 students in grades 1-5 within the Donna Independent School District (Isd), where over 95% of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

This school has experienced a significant academic decline in recent years, dropping from a 3-star rating in 2021-2022 to a 1-star rating in the most recent data. A major concern is mathematics, where proficiency rates in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades all fall well below district and state averages. For example, while Le Noir Elementary achieved an impressive 86.57% proficiency in 4th-grade math, J W Caceres reached only 38.38%. Reading scores have also been inconsistent, with a sharp drop from outperforming the district in 2023-2024 to falling behind in every grade by 2025-2026. The school's performance on Spanish-language STAAR exams is particularly weak, with 0% proficiency in several areas, suggesting that bilingual programs may not be as effective as those at nearby schools like Capt D Salinas II Elementary, which achieved 60% proficiency in 4th-grade Reading (Spanish).

Despite a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13:1—better than many peers like T Price Elementary (16.6) and A M Ochoa Elementary (17.1)—this advantage has not translated into strong academic results. One bright spot is the school's performance with migrant students, who ranked in the 56th percentile statewide, suggesting effective support for this group. However, special education services have seen a dramatic decline, dropping from the 55th percentile to the 26th percentile in just one year. The school shares a campus with M Rivas Pri Discovery Academy, which serves younger students and has higher per-student spending ($14,031 vs. $10,000-$11,000), raising questions about resource allocation within the district.